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Period: to
1950-1990
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Dwight D. Eisenhower Takes Office
Dwight David Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army during World War II and served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe; -
First Playboy Is Released
In December 1953, 27-year-old Hugh Hefner published the very first Playboy magazine. This first edition of Playboy was 44-pages long and had no date on its cover because Hefner wasn't sure there would be a second edition. In that first run, Hefner sold 54,175 copies of Playboy magazine at 50 cents each. The first edition sold so well because Marilyn Monroe was the "Sweetheart of the Month" (which was thereafter termed "playmate"). -
Brown v. Board of Education, 1954
Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954), was a landmark United States Supreme Court case in which the Court declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students to be unconstitutional. The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896, which allowed state-sponsored segregation, insofar as it applied to public education. -
Start Of Vietnam War
The war began in 1954 after the rise to power of Ho Chi Minh and his communist Viet Minh party in North Vietnam, and continued against the backdrop of an intense Cold War between two global superpowers: the United States and the Soviet Union. By 1969, at the peak of U.S. involvement in the war, more than 500,000 U.S. military personnel were involved in the Vietnam conflict. -
Civil Rights Movement
The Civil Rights Movement of African-Americans was formed in order to fight against the racial discrimination of African-American people in America by the white people. It was also to restore their rights to vote; the movement lasted from 1955 to 1968. Some prominent leaders included Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X and Rosa Parks. -
Space Race
The Space Race was a 20th-century (1955–1972) competition between two Cold War rivals, the Soviet Union (USSR) and the United States (US), for supremacy in spaceflight capability. The technological superiority required for such supremacy was seen as necessary for national security, and symbolic of ideological superiority.The Space Race spawned pioneering efforts to launch artificial satellites, unmanned probes of the Moon, Venus and Mars, and human spaceflight in low Earth orbit and to the Moon. -
Disneyland Opens
On July 17, 1955, Disneyland opened for a few thousand specially invited visitors; the following day, Disneyland officially opened to the public. Disneyland, located in Anaheim, California on what used to be a 160-acre orange orchard, cost $17 million to build. The original park included Main Street, Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. -
Emmett Till's Muder
While visiting family in Money, Mississippi, 14-year-old Emmett Till, an African American from Chicago, is brutally murdered for flirting with a white woman four days earlier. The two men then beat him nearly to death, gouged out his eye, shot him in the head, and then threw his body, tied to the cotton-gin fan with barbed wire, into the river. -
Rosa Parks Refuses Her Seat
On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Parks refused to obey bus driver James F. Blake's order that she give up her seat in the colored section to a white passenger, after the white section was filled. Parks' act of defiance and the Montgomery Bus Boycott became important symbols of the modern Civil Rights Movement. -
Federal Highway Act of 1956
An Act to amend and supplement the Federal Aid Road Act approved July 11, 1916, to authorize appropriations for continuing the construction of highways; to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 to provide additional revenue teem taxes on motor fuel, tires, and trucks and buses; and for other purposes. -
Joseph McCarthy/McCarthyism
Joseph Raymond McCarthy was an American politician who served as a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957. The term is used more generally in reference to demagogic, reckless, and unsubstantiated accusations, as well as public attacks on the character or patriotism of political opponents. -
First Animal In Orbit/Space
The Soviet Union and the United States were in a very heated competition after World War II. Part of this competition was over control of space. As part of this "space race," the Soviets succeeded in putting up the first satellite into space in October 1957. Working hastily, the Soviets launched their second satellite (Sputnik 2) on November 3, 1957 with a living animal (Laika the dog) on board. Laika lived through the launch, but died in space since no return plan had been created for her. -
Explorer 1
Explorer 1 was the first satellite of the United States, launched as part of its participation in the International Geophysical Year. The mission followed the first two satellites the previous year; the Soviet Union's Sputnik 1 and 2, beginning the Cold War Space Race between the two nations. -
Man On The Moon Speech
President John F. Kennedy delivered this speech, "Special Message to the Congress on Urgent National Needs," on May 25, 1961 before a joint session of Congress. In this speech, JFK stated that the United States should set as a goal the "landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth" by the end of the decade. -
Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American pastor, activist, humanitarian, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience based on his Christian beliefs. -
Oscar Robertson
Oscar Robertson of Cincinnati finishes the Season with an average of 30.8ppg, 12.5 RPG, and 11.4 assist a game. to become the first and only player to average a triple double over a season. -
Marilyn Monroe Found Dead
Marilyn Monroe was found dead in the bedroom of her Brentwood home by her psychiatrist Ralph Greenson after he was called by Monroe's housekeeper Eunice Murray on August 5, 1962. Her death was ruled to be "acute barbiturate poisoning" by Dr. Thomas Noguchi of the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office and listed as "probable suicide". -
First James Bond Film
Dr. No is a 1962 British spy film, starring Sean Connery; it is the first James Bond film.While critical reaction was mixed upon release, the film over time gained a reputation as one of the series' best instalments.Dr. No was produced with a low budget and was a financial success. -
Assassination Of John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, was assassinated at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas. Kennedy was fatally shot by a sniper while traveling with his wife Jacqueline, Texas Governor John Connally, and Connally's wife Nellie, in a presidential motorcade. A ten-month investigation from November 1963 to September 1964 by the Warren Commission concluded that Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald. -
Nike
Nike, Inc. is an American multinational corporation that is engaged in the design, development, manufacturing and worldwide marketing and selling of footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories and services. The company was founded on January 25, 1964, as Blue Ribbon Sports, by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight, and officially became Nike, Inc. on May 30, 1971. -
Muhammad Ali Becomes World Heavyweight Champion
On February 25, 1964, Muhammad Ali, then still known as Cassius Clay, fought Charles "Sonny" Liston for the world heavyweight title in Miami, Florida.By the 6th round, Liston was exhausted. He had also hurt his shoulder and was worried about a cut under his eye. When the bell for round seven rang, Liston shocked everyone when he refused to continue the fight. Muhammad Ali was declared the winner and became the heavyweight boxing champion of the world. -
Civil Right Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964, which ended segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin, is considered one of the crowning legislative achievements of the civil rights movement. First proposed by President John F. Kennedy, it survived strong opposition from southern members of Congress and was then signed into law by Kennedy’s successor, Lyndon B. Johnson. In subsequent years, Congress expanded the act and also pas -
Malcom X Assassinated
On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X was preparing to address the Organization of Afro-American Unity in Manhattan's Audubon Ballroom when someone in the 400-person audience yelled, "Nigger! Get your hand outta my pocket!".As Malcolm X and his bodyguards tried to quell the disturbance,a man rushed forward and shot him once in the chest with a sawed-off shotgun. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act, signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on August 6, 1965, aimed to overcome legal barriers at the state and local levels that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote under the 15th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. The act significantly widened the franchise and is considered among the most far-reaching pieces of civil rights legislation in U.S. history. -
First Heart Transplant
On December 3, 1967, South African surgeon Christiaan Barnard conducted the first heart transplant on 53-year-old Lewis Washkansky. The surgery was a success. However, the medications that were given to Washkansky to prevent his immune system from attacking the new heart also supressed his body's ability to fight off other illnesses. -
Assassination Of MLK Jr.
At 6:01 p.m. on April 4, 1968, civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was hit by a sniper's bullet. King had been standing on the balcony in front of his room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, when, without warning, he was shot. -
Assassination of RObert F. Kennedy
The assassination of Robert Francis Kennedy, a United States Senator and brother of assassinated President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, took place shortly after midnight on June 5, 1968, in Los Angeles, California, during the campaign season for the United States Presidential election, 1968. After winning the California and South Dakota primary elections for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States, Kennedy was shot as he walked through the kitchen of the Ambassado Hotel. -
Neil Armstrong Becomes the First Man on the Moon
On July 20, 1969, as part of the Apollo 11 mission, astronaut Neil Armstrong opened the hatch of the lunar module and stepped out onto the ladder. Once at the bottom of the ladder, Armstrong stepped onto the surface of the moon and became the very first man on the moon.A few minutes later, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin followed him. -
The Aswan Dam Completed
After ten years of construction, the Aswan High Dam in Egypt was completed on July 21, 1970. The Aswan High Dam, located on the Nile River just north of the border between Egypt and Sudan, was built to control the frequent cycles of flooding and drought within Egypt. -
MASH T.V. Show Premiers
MASH was an extremely popular TV series, which first aired on CBS on September 17, 1972. Based on the real experiences of a surgeon in the Korean War, the series centered upon the interrelationships, stresses, and trauma involved in being in a MASH unit. MASH's final episode, which aired on February 28, 1983, had the largest audience of any single TV episode in U.S. history. -
End Of Vietnam War
Growing opposition to the war in the United States led to bitter divisions among Americans, both before and after President Richard Nixon ordered the withdrawal of U.S. forces in 1973. In 1975, communist forces seized control of Saigon, ending the Vietnam War, and the country was unified as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam the following year. More than 3 million people (including 58,000 Americans) were killed in the Vietnam War; more than half were Vietnamese civilians. -
Elvis Found Dead
Elvis Presley died on August 16, 1977 in the bathroom of his Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee. He was 42 at the time of death. He had been on the toilet, but fallen off onto the floor, where he lay in a pool of his own vomit. Panicked, his staff contacted an ambulance, which rushed him to nearby Baptist Memorial Hospital. -
First Test-Tube Baby Born
On November 10, 1977, Lesley Brown underwent the very experimental in vitro fertilization procedure. This time, the doctors implanted the fertilized egg back into Brown in a shorter time period than they had previously tried.At 11:47 p.m. on July 25, 1978, Lesley Brown delivered a five-pound 12-ounce baby girl via Cesarean section. They baby girl was named Louise Joy Brown. -
Jonestown Massacre
On November 18, 1978, Peoples Temple cult leader Jim Jones instructed his followers to commit "revolutionary suicide" by drinking cyanide-laced fruit punch. At the Jonestown compound in Guyana, 912 Peoples Temple members (276 of whom were children) drank the punch and died. Jim Jones died the same day from a gunshot wound to the head. -
Pac-Man Released
On May 22, 1980, the Pac-Man video game was released in Japan and by October of the same year it was released in the United States. The yellow, pie-shaped Pac-Man character, who travels around a maze trying to eat dots and avoid four mean ghosts, quickly became an icon of the 1980s. To this day, Pac-Man remains one of the most popular video games in history. -
John Lennon's Murder
John Lennon was an English musician who gained worldwide fame as one of the founder members of The Beatles, for his subsequent solo career, and for his political activism and pacifism. He was shot by Mark David Chapman at the entrance to the building where he lived, The Dakota, in New York City on 8 December 1980. -
Assassination Attempt Of Ronald Reagan
On March 30, 1981, 25-year-old John Hinckley Jr. opened fire on U.S. President Ronald Reagan just outside the Washington Hilton Hotel. President Reagan was hit by one bullet, which punctured his lung. Three others were also injured in the shooting. -
Introduction To HIV/AIDS
In 1981, the United States of America became the first country to officially recognise a strange new illness among a small number of gay men. The first official documentation of the condition was published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on 5th June 1981. Entitled “Pneumocystis Pneumonia – Los Angeles”, the report detailed the cases of five young gay men hospitalised with serious PCP, cytomegalovirus, and disseminated candida infections. -
E.T. Movie Released
The movie E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial was a hit from the day it was released and quickly became one of the most beloved movies of all time. Its opening weekend grossed $11.9 million and E.T. stayed at the top of the charts for over four months. At the time, it was the largest grossing movie ever made. -
Michael Jackson Releases Thriller
On November 30, 1982, 24-year-old singer Michael Jackson released his album Thriller, which, in addition to the title track of the same name, included such popular singles as “Beat It,” “Billie Jean,” and “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.” Thriller remains the best-selling album of all time and has sold over 104 million copies to date; 65 million of those copies were within the United States. -
Breakin'
Breakin', released as Breakdance: The Movie or Break Street '84 in some countries, is a 1984 breakdancing-themed film directed by Joel Silberg. The film setting was inspired by a German documentary entitled Breakin' and Enterin' set in the Los Angeles multi-racial hip hop club Radiotron, based out of Macarthur Park in Los Angeles. Many of the artists and dancers, including Ice-T (who makes his movie debut as a club MC) and Boogaloo Shrimp, went straight from Breakin' and Enterin' to star in Brea -
Titanic Wreck Found
After the sinking of the Titanic on April 15, 1912, the great ship slumbered on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean for over 70 years before its wreckage was discovered. On September 1, 1985, a joint American-French expedition, headed by famous American oceanographer Dr. Robert Ballard, found the Titanic over two miles below the ocean’s surface by using an unmanned submersible called Argo. This discovery gave new meaning to the Titanic’s sinking and gave birth to new dreams in ocean exploration. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
In the evening of November 9, 1989, East German government official Günter Schabowski stated during a press conference that travel through the border to the West was open.People who heard the broadcast were shocked. They went to the border to see if it was true. The border guards, who had no explicit instructions as to what to do, let them through.As the news spread on both sides of the Wall, huge numbers of people flocked to the Berlin Wall and celebrated. -
Battle Of The Year
Battle of the Year, commonly referred to as BOTY, is an annual international b-boying series that began in 1990. It is a crew (as opposed to individual) competition. Regional qualifying tournaments, also known as preliminaries, are held worldwide culminating in the BOTY International, the world finals event which was held at the Volkswagenhalle in Braunschweig, Germany until 2009. First champions was a tie between Germany and UK.
